Further evidence for ∼8 kbar amphibolite facies metamorphism in the Marymia Inlier,Western Australia

Pressure estimates for amphibolite-facies metamorphism at Plutonic Gold Mine (Plutonic), Marymia Inlier, Western Australia, were recently revised significantly upwards from ～4 ± 2 kbar/550–600°C to ≥8 kbar/～600°C, based on the calculated stability fields for mineral assemblages in garnet-free mafic rocks. These conditions are anomalous in the context of the Yilgarn Craton. Here, we present new mineral equilibria calculations for rare garnet-bearing rock types from Plutonic that confirm those higher pressure estimates, and provide confidence that the determinations of metamorphic conditions based only on results from metamorphosed mafic rocks are robust and reliable. Taken together, the new estimates (7.3–8.2 kbar/580–590°C) from the garnet-bearing rocks, and the existing results from the mafic rocks, provide evidence that, most probably during the late Archean, rocks now exposed along the northern margin of the Yilgarn Craton underwent substantial increases in pressure, which was likely followed by rapid exhumation.     

Diversity and bioactivity of actinomycetes from Signy Is- land terrestrial soils,maritime Antarctic

The Antarctic represents a largely untapped source for isolation of new microorganisms with potential to produce bio- active natural products. Actinomycetes are of special interest among such microorganisms as they are known to produce a large number of natural products, many of which have clinical, pharmaceutical or agricultural applications. We isolated, characterized and classified actinomycetes from soil samples collected from different locations on Signy Island, South Orkney Islands, in the maritime Antarctic. A total of 95 putative actinomyeete strains were isolated from eight soil samples using eight types of selective isolation media. The strains were dereplicated into 16 groups based on morphology and Amplified Ribosomal DNA Restriction Analysis （ARDRA） patterns. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences of representatives from each group showed that streptomy- cetes were the dominant actinomycetes isolated from these soils; however, there were also several strains belonging to diverse and rare genera in the class Actinobacteria, including Demetria, Glaciibacter, Kocuria, Marmoricola, Nakamurella and Tsukamurella. In addition, screening for antibacterial activity and non-ribosomal peptide synthetase genes showed that many of the actinomycete strains have the potential to produce antibacterial compounds.     

A Regional Measure of Neighborhood Multiple Environmental Deprivation: Relationships with Health and Health Inequalities

The health impacts of simultaneous exposure to multiple adverse environmental factors are of concern in the United Kingdom. UK-wide indicators exist, but context-specific finer resolution measures are lacking. An environmental deprivation index was developed for 398 neighborhoods (average population = 760) in a Scottish council area, including measures of air pollution, noise pollution, traffic environment, undesirable land uses, and crime. Adverse environmental conditions were related to ill health in the region and implicated in wider socioeconomic health inequalities. The results suggest an independent role for environmental deprivation in explaining poor health and health inequalities.     

Storm runoff processes and subcatchment characteristics in a new zealand hill country catchment

The quickflow responses of six subcatchment areas in a small hill country catchment in the Craigieburn Range, South Island, New Zealand, were compared for a range of storm sizes, rainfall intensities and antecedent wetness conditions. Topography and soil characteristics suggested that all subcatchments would receive subsurface stormflow input, but that some would receive larger saturation overland flow inputs than others. Quickflow yields and response ratios were positively correlated with storm size and antecedent wetness conditions in the subcatchment most suited to producing saturation overland flow. In subcatchments more likely to be dominated by subsurface flow, quickflow yields and response ratios were positively correlated with storm size, but were either not correlated, or negatively correlated, with antecedent wetness. Quickflow responses were either not significantly or negatively correlated with rainfall intensity variables. Quickflow from the subcatchment most suited to produce saturation overland flow providing an increasing proportion of total catchment quickflow in larger storms and as antecedent conditions became wetter. Subcatchment responses varied greatly in space and time and there was less pattern to the variation than had been expected. Where topographic and pedologic conditions permit substantial responses to storm rainfall by both saturation overland flow and subsurface stormflow, simple topographic and soil indicators may not be useful guides to the relative importance of runoff mechanisms, or to the identification of runoff-source areas.     

The Final Stage of Silicic Island Arc Magmatism in the Northern Urals

Doklady Earth Sciences - The date of cessation of calc-alkaline volcanic complex accumulation within the Devonian (Frasnian) island arc in the Northern Urals was determined for the first time. It...